Hellrot318is

Here's the story.

We went to the bar one night, car was working fine. We went out to start it, and it didn't seem right. It ended up starting, but the cluster lights and turn signal didn't work. Also, it was very sluggish. I figured the car was in a limp mode for some reason. We limped home (about 3 or 4 miles). When we got home, I disconnected the battery for a while to reset the computer and to see if it would limp again, or if it was some sort of glitch.

Now the car only cranks and will not start, and as soon as you put in the key, it looks like everything is normal, and then the lights turn off and the security light is on solid.

I scanned the codes, and it gave a fuel pump code, which I replaced the fuel pump anyway because it was inexpensive. I hear there are sensors on it that can cause a no start that do fail. No go. It also is giving I think code P1602, or P1612.....something with the immobilizer system (NATS). I read some threads that say that the keys needs to be reprogrammed. We tried to same key more than 3 times, hence the vehicle was in "lock mode", and didn't get a chance to try the other key.

Figuring the keys needed to be reprogrammed, we towed it to the Nissan stealer here in Vegas. They said "they are not sure, but they think it needs a new ECM and BCM and the wiring is all messed up". Really? A f'in 04 car that blows everything out and you guys want $1900 for the repair? So my girlfriend (it's her car) got it towed to the other Nissan dealer where I guess she found out an acquaintance works at. They said the ECM isn't communicating, so it's "obviously bad". They think it doesn't need a BCM, but they are going to order the ECM and reprogram.

WTF is this normal? I'm a home mechanic, been working on mainly Hondas and BMWs for years, and I have never seen a computer "go bad". I still think the car needs to be unlocked from limp mode, reset, and the keys reprogrammed. Anyone else agree with me?

Has anyone had their ECM just fail like this? 55K miles and we need a silly repair like this?

KCMAXX

iTrader: (22)

BAC imobilizer?

6.5affiliate

BUMP

macming

Try a new battery?

Redstone

Shouldn't your ECM be covered by a 10yr/80k warranty. When I had my 5.5 gen my ECM went at about 81k. I was 1000 miles or so over and Nissan would not cover. Had to buy an ECM out of pocket . Ended up buying a used one for about $150 since the new ones were about $800 at the time. Paid for the dealer to install and reprogram and the car ran just fine right up to the time when I sold it at 130k plus. Believe it or not this was the only major thing that went wrong with that car in 7yrs of owning it. Anything else was very minor.

orangeglo

I am having the same kind of problems with my 04 (about 59k miles on it). In recent weeks the dash lights would do dim while driving and then the car cut off twice in traffic and would start right back up, all signs pointed to the alternator so i took it to my mechanic but the alternator and battery were fine.
In the next weeks after that the car would click before cranking over and then it would start fine (clicking like how it would make a clicking sound if the battery was dying or something), then on a few separate occasions it would take 3 times before the engine would actually turn over. Long story short, took it back to my guy who put it on the computer for the diagnostics test and showed me all the things that were wrong. Apparently my NATS system also need to be fixed (I have 2 keys, 1 to open the door and 1 to start the car because I bought the car used from someone) so I knew I needed to get that done, but also he says my ECM is giving a communication error. He tried a few times to run a couple tests while it was connected but it wouldn’t give any readings so he says that defeinitley means the ECM is bad and needs to change. I just hope once this is done there are not other issue for the next 1-2 years before I change this car.